Structure and composition for a mask and its container

ABSTRACT

A mask structure comprised of a sheet of paper material, wherein the mask structure includes one or more cuts subdividing said sheet into one or more plane portions connected to one another and disposed at different angles during use of the mask structure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a structure and composition for a mask and its container.

In particular, the structure subject of the present invention is realizable with a sheet in papery material or in similar materials such as cardboard, paperboard, plastified paper or plastic in a thin sheet of this material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Well-known masks in chartaceous material have a planar development and, when they are under rest conditions, that is to say when they are not worn, they extend only to two dimensions. Once they are worn, the masks are curved and define an approximately cylindrical surface. This development to a basically cylindrical surface may lead to a deformation of the drawing or image reproduced on the mask which has a not very natural effect.

Moreover, well-known masks are usually provided with an elastic band which is placed around the head to keep the mask in its position. The presence of the elastic band may turn out to be bothersome during use. In addition, it obliges one to use another type of material, in addition to the material used for the mask structure, during the production process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims at eliminating the inconveniences mentioned above.

These results have been achieved by adopting the idea of realizing a mask structure having the features described in claim 1. Further features are described in the dependent claims.

One of the advantages of the present invention is the possibility of providing a mask capable of assuming a configuration which perfectly adapts to the face and/or to the head during use; the mask folds into sectors during use, and this folding because of corresponding cutting/punching lines creates planes which are differentiated in depth; the mask structure can also be worn without an elastic band or other additional means of support; the structure can be associated with a sheet consisting of a postcard, a card, a book or an album page, etc. (so defining a container for the mask); the structure can be associated with a sheet with a text written on it that can be recited and/or be sung when wearing the mask; the mask structure keeps its features unchanged even after long usage periods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 schematically shows a plan view of a possible embodiment of a mask structure realized according to the invention; in the drawing, the mask structure is part of a sheet in papery material from which the structure can be detached for its use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mask structure of FIG. 1 during use;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sheet of FIG. 1, once the mask structure has been removed;

FIG. 4 schematically shows a plan view of another possible embodiment of a mask structure according to the present invention; in the drawing, as in the example of FIG. 1, the mask structure is part of a sheet in paper material, from which the structure can be detached for its use;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the mask structure of FIG. 4 during use;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the mask structure of FIG. 4 when it is worn;

FIG. 7 schematically shows a plan view of a further possible embodiment of a mask structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the mask structure of FIG. 7 during use;

FIG. 9 schematically shows a plan view of another possible embodiment of a mask structure according to the invention; in the drawing, the mask structure is part of a sheet in papery material, from which the figure can be detached for its use;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the mask structure of FIG. 1 realised according to the invention which basically consists of a sheet in papery material or in a similar material such as paperboard, cardboard or plastified paper or of a non-chartaceous material which has a planar development analogous to that featured by the paperboard or by similar materials.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a schematic plane view of a sheet in paperboard 10 with a rectangular shape. A contour 2 defining a mask structure 1 is executed on sheet 10, by punching, by laser cutting or by another suitable process. Some cuts 3 are made on the mask structure 1, also called mask 1 in the rest of the description. In the example of FIG. 1 the cuts 3 are symmetrically disposed with respect to a vertical symmetry axis x-x. In particular, the symmetry axis x-x is vertically disposed when the mask structure 1 is worn like in the configuration shown in FIG. 2. The cuts 3 made on the mask 1 extend with a value which is inferior to the complete vertical development of the mask 1, that is to say the cuts that have been made do not extend to the upper portion 4 and to the lower portion 5 of the mask 1. In this way, the portions 4 and 5 are affected by bend lines 6, which are represented by discontinuous hatching lines and are disposed adjacent to the upward and downward extension of the cut line 3.

When the mask is used, that is to say when the structure 1 is curved so as to copy the user's face, the presence of the cuts 3 and of the bend lines 6 determines the formation of a plurality of plane sectors or plane portions 7, 8 at differentiated depths from one another. In particular, with reference to FIG. 2, a centrally disposed first plane portion 7, develops adjacently to a hypothetical vertical plane containing said axis x-x while the two lateral portions 8, separated from the central portion 7 by the cuts 3, are disposed adjacent to the two planes which are oblique with respect to the plane of the central portion 7. In practice, the mask subject of the present invention provides a basically real depth effect because it derives from plane portions which are at different depths.

In the example illustrated in FIGS. 4-6, the number of the cuts 3 is greater if compared to the previous example. In particular, four cuts 3 have been made on mask structure 1, two on the right and two on the left with respect to the axis x-x mentioned in the previous example.

Most of the cuts offer further advantages with respect to the previous example.

A first advantage is an increased depth effect provided by the presence of plane portions 7, 8, 9 which are positionable on three different depths during use. This feature determines a better copying of the face profile of the user because it adapts itself to the face much better with respect to the previous example which, however, determines a very satisfying effect if compared with well-known masks.

A further advantage is provided by the fact that a part of the plane portion 9 defines a band which can be passed behind the ears user's ears 90 so as to allow the fixing of the mask without using elastic bands or strings commonly used in the well-known technique.

The mask can be fixed to the user's head by means of a hole 20 foreseen in a zone of the mask which corresponds to the position of the nose. The conformation and the size of the hole 20 determine an interference with the user's nose so as to carry out a fixing by fitting the nose in the mask 1. Said hole 20 has been represented only in FIG. 4 with a hatched zone bounded by a discontinuous hatching line.

FIGS. 7-10 show two further embodiments of a mask structure according to the invention. These examples show the same numerical references to indicate analogous parts. The mask illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 is provided with cuts 3 which extend differently with respect to the examples of FIGS. 1-6. Also in this case, the cuts 3 are basically symmetrical with respect to a hypothetical axis x-x (vertical with the mask in usage configuration) but some of them extend according to portions of perimeters with different widths, that is to say according to circumference arcs having different radiuses. In practice, the cuts 3 which are more proximate to the axis x-x define a plane portion 7 which is centrally disposed (analogously to the other examples) and connected to a connection portion 70 disposed lowerly. The connection portion 70 is joined to a series of plane portions 71, 72, 73. In particular, the portion 70 is joined to the two ends of each of the plane portions 71, 72, 73 which form a reverse “U” development with its lower ends connected to said portion 70. Moreover, in the example which has been illustrated, it is possible to note that folding lines 6 are disposed adjacently to the connection zones between the plane portions 71, 72 and 73 and the portion 70 that contribute to determine the depth effect of the mask of the present invention.

The plane portion 73 can have a conformation analogous to that of the plane portion 9 in the example of FIGS. 4-6 which defines a fixing means for the user's ears.

The mask illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 is provided with plane portions 7, 71, 72 and 72′ whose conformation is basically analogous to that of the example of FIGS. 9 and 10, that is to say conformed as a circumference arc or reverse “U”. Moreover, the various plane portions 7, 71, 72 are connected to one another by means of the connecting portion 70 and by a series of ledges or bands 77 disposed in a basically radial direction with respect to the centre of the mask 1. Furthermore, on the portion plane 72 there is a cut 3″ which subdivides the same plane portion 72, forming a further peripheral plane portion 72′.

Moreover, the mask of FIGS. 7 and 8 has two cuts 3′ adjacently to the central portion 7 which determine the bending of said central portion adjacently to said axis x-x.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 9 can form a page of a book or of another type of editorial article. In practice, the mask structure can be a part of many types of objects, for example, a book, the side of a box, etc. In other words, these objects constitute the container of the mask structure.

Moreover, the execution details may vary as regards the shape the size, the arrangement of the elements, the kind of material used, but they are within the limits of the solution adopted and within the limits of the protection offered by the present patent. 

1-8. (canceled) 9: A mask structure comprised of a sheet of paper material, wherein the mask structure includes one or more cuts subdividing said sheet into one or more plane portions connected to one another and disposed at different angles during use of the mask structure. 10: The mask structure of claim 9, wherein said cuts are symmetrically disposed with respect to an axis of symmetry of the mask structure. 11: The mask structure of claim 9, wherein said cuts extend only partially along the length of the mask structure and wherein folding lines are defined adjacent to and extend from the cuts, such that when the structure is curved for placement against a user's face, the presence of the cuts and of the folding lines causes the plurality of plane portions to be disposed at different angles to each other. 12: The mask structure of claim 9, wherein apart of one of said plane portions defines a band adapted to be passed behind a user's ears so as to allow the fixing of the mask to the user's face. 13: The mask structure of claim 9, wherein the mask structure is provided with a hole in a zone of the mask corresponding to a position of a user's nose when the mask is placed on the user's face, wherein said hole is mountable on the user's nose. 14: The mask structure of claim 9, wherein said cuts are defined as arcs having different radiuses. 15: The mask structure of claim 14, wherein one of the plane portions is centrally disposed and joined to a lowerly disposed connecting portion, wherein said connecting portion is joined to the corresponding ends of a series of plane portions having a reverse “U” arrangement. 16: The mask structure of claim 15, wherein said plane portions are connected to one another by a series of ledges or bands disposed in a substantially radial position with respect to the center of the mask structure. 